See You in the Afterglow
by Ishuzu
Summary: Between what you can't remember and what you'd like to forget is the moment where the universe falls into place. But it won't matter when I see you in the afterglow BakuraXIsisXSeto Rated to be safe. Uhm yeah... New Chapter up. :D
1. Drinking to Us

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or Without You I'm Nothing by Placebo  
  
If she pretended that she in fact wasn't watching him, that she was terribly interested in the the ring of condensation her cup of cola had made on the table or the man that was standing just directly to his right, she could sit and gape at him for hours. His strong, large hands. His well-porportioned body and all the muscles, she was sure, were definitely as taut as bow strings. His coca-dusted eyes and moonstone hair. A tiny moan escaped her lips and she reached for the Diet Pepsi in front of her. Holy shit, did she really need to lust after BAKURA tonight?! No, she didn't. But how could she help it? She flitted among the people at the night club like a beautiful, elusive bird but should her eyes even flicker his way, it sent her into a tail spin. And her tissue-paper wings would rip and shred on the jagged rocks below her. Jesus, this was depressing. She hated lusting after the damn tomb robber. It was the worst person she could have found attractive, never could she have chosen a worse specimen. But all of the things that told her she was wrong couldn't compare with the way her stomach did acrobatics whenever he was within twenty feet. She sighed. As the saying goes, her brain said no, no!, but her hormones said yes, yes!  
  
But for god's sake, she was a grown woman! She couldn't let her lust control her as if she was a pimply-faced, high school girl. But if he came to her and said something like, "Care to screw my brains out, luv?" she knew she would be too swept up to say no.  
  
Granted, Isis wasn't a romantic. She didn't believe in love at first sight (with Bakura, it was definitely lust) and she hated the whole marrige institution. Screw it, give her singles bars or give her death! Like she'd ever get mixed up in a "real" relationship. But that's why Bakura intrigued her so (well, that and his lovely ass). He seemed to be the same as her, as if he could just take her away and make her forget that she was bitter, jaded. That they would have amazing sex and she'd never feel a single ounce of guilt or fear. Yes, he was one of those men who made you want to strip away all of your morals and scream, "Take me now!" Well, of course, Isis wasn't one to do the afore mentioned cliche but she definitely wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers. And for the finicky goddess, that was saying something.  
  
Naturally, though, as she'd sit there and undress the snow-haired bishi with her eyes, Isis would remember (oh yeah!) that she was an Ishtar, sworn to protect the pharaoh, and this... well-sculped slice of man meat was a tomb robber, sworn to steal, kill and generally mock the pharaoh when he pleased. _Shit..._ Isis pouted mentally. _It's a Ra-damn conspericy!  
_  
Disgusted with herself, Isis glared at the Pepsi, deciding to take out her frustrations and bottled-up hormones on the carbonated beverage. She slipped off the high stool she was perched atop and headed for the bar. Pepsi gave no solace. She needed real liqour.  
  
The bartender was dark haired, dark eyed and Latin looking. Isis paid him no mind as she tried to decide what to order. A beer wasn't stong enough and a shot of whiskey seemed a little drastic. This wasn't working at all. Isis had no taste for alcoholic beverages. She didn't even know what she was doing there.  
  
"Feeling indecisive, are we luv?"  
  
**.........................DAMN THAT VOICE!!!!! DAMN IT TO THE FIERY PITS OF HELL WHERE IT WOULD BURN UNTIL YOU COULDN'T HEAR ITS BUILT-IN SINISTER GRIN OR BRITISH TINGE!!!!! DAMN THAT VOICE!!!!!!**  
  
"Good evening, Bakura..." Isis said through clenched teeth.  
  
"It is now," Bakura smiled, his chocolate eyes running over her body. Isis felt warmer suddenly and pulled at her top self conciously. She normally didn't dress like this but she would look out of place here in her usual attire. Bakura turned to the bartender, casually stating,  
  
"Two shots of tequila."  
  
Isis' eyes widened in shock. "I hope those are both for you."  
  
"Nope," Bakura took the shot glasses, with a nod to the bartender and a wink to Isis. "You're going to drink to me and I'm going to drink to you and we're both going to drink to each other." His eyes flamed darkly in the low lights. "So what do you say? Should we get started?"  
  
"Certainly not!" Isis sputtered, though her stand-offish tone faultered as her voice broke. She turned to walk away, but Bakura's words stopped her.  
  
"What's a drink between old friends?"  
  
Isis laughed haughtily. "Old friends? Bakura, you have gone mad! You know that I only reguard you as an enemy. A turncoat who works against the pharaoh for your own selfish reasons! We are not friends..." Her eyes narrowed. "And I won't drink with you."  
  
"Fine, so we're not 'friends', but who is these days?... I only suggest you drink what I've bought you, luv, because you don't know your Jack Daniels from your Jack Nicolsons..." Bakura held up the tequila as a peace offering. "Come have a taste?"  
  
Oh, he was wicked!! He knew something, something about these feelings she had. He had to, or else he wouldn't be acting like this. Well, she wouldn't let him intimidate her. Isis would beat the tomb robber at his own game. She sat primly beside him and knocked back the first shot. Coughing, she sat forward and placed her dainty hands over her lips. Bakura watched silently when all of a sudden, she sat up and blinked at him.  
  
"It's strong."  
  
"That is a bit of an understatement, luv..." He reached across the bar and soon had swallowed the other shot. A hissing sound escaped his lips and he laughed. "Tequila's a bitch but she gets the job done..."  
  
"Oh, so, now you're trying to get me drunk?" Bakura laughed at Isis' blunt comment. He casually motioned for two more and smiled. "Next time, I'll give you the lime..."

* * *

It never occured to her exactly how many she'd had or when her tongue had begun to loosen so as she and Bakura had sat, secluded, in a less busy section of the bar. His laughter was like dark chocolate and he laughed at everything she said, not because it was funny, but because he found her fascinating, in the sense that she didn't seem as jaded and reformed when she had a bit of liquor in her.  
  
"I can't believe I'm sitting in this... dank, dive-bar night club drinking tequila shots and talking to you." Her nose turned up a little in feigned disgust. Bakura smiled.  
  
"Likewise, I'm sure..."  
  
"Why did you even come over to me anyway?" She grinned, her voice dropping lower, sounding sultry.  
  
Bakura's seductive smile widened. "Why not?"  
  
"No, that's not fair," she teased. "There are plenty of pretty girls in this place who would willingly join you for a few drinks... Why me?"  
  
"You're the only pretty girl I wanted..." He smiled. "Besides, where's the sport in the normal girls? You're the goddess here, are you not?"  
  
"Well..." She giggled a little and played with her earring nervously. "I try..."  
  
"Re help me..." Bakura laughed and suddenly they heard a few notes float through the haze of cigarette smoke and liquor clouds. His eyes lit up and he smiled. "I love this song..." Then, that cocky grin never faultering, "Care to dance, luv?"  
  
"Sure..." Isis took his hand and he led her through the crowed, softly making a path before settling in the middle of the dance floor. Isis's mind wouldn't wrap around the situation well enough for her to notice where they were going. She was intent on trying to get her eyes to focus... until Bakura's hands slid around to her hips and pulled her closer. Only then did her mind finally wrap around one thought, as her body pressed against his. _Oh yeah... Taut as bowstrings..._  
  
_Strange infatuation seems to grace the evening tide  
  
I'll take it by your side_  
  
Her hands traveled up his arms to rest on his shoulders. She wondered if it was really her, resting in his possive arms, or if she was merely watching it from somewhere far off. The music was as intoxicating as the tequila had been and slowly, before she'd realized it, the snow haired tomb robber had dipped his head to kiss her neck. The contact sent electric thrills through her. Holy Re.  
  
_I'm unclean A libertine  
  
And every time You vent your spleen  
  
I seem to lose the power Of speech  
  
You're slippin' slowly from My reach  
_  
She felt herself pull back and noticed that he was smiling. Her breath came out in a gasp as she asked him,  
  
"How did you--"  
  
"I knew." He interrupted, saving her the trouble. "Least I think I did. But now I'm sure." He smiled that devilish grin of his and pulled her closer to him (if physically possible), whispering,  
  
"Don't worry. It'll be easy."  
  
He led her hand, which had fallen back to her side, over his shoulder and her fingers twined themselves in his hair without complaint.  
  
_You grow me like An evergreen  
  
You've never seen the lonely me at all  
  
I-- take the plan, spin it sideways  
  
I-- fall  
_  
His hands played over her back, drawing her into the steps. Finally, she felt herself relax, succomb... and she burned for him. Her hands reached for his skin and she drew his lips to hers.  
  
_Without you I'm nothing--  
_  
_Without you I'm nothing--  
  
Without you I'm nothing--_  
  
The music, the lights, the scent of warm beer and sweat, the heat of his hands... The whole effect taunted and bewitched her. Soon, she would be in his arms, if they could manage to contain themselves until they made it out of the club. As he pulled her through a maze of blurred people, she caught the final lyrics...  
  
_Take the plan  
  
Spin it sideways...  
  
Without you... I'm nothin'  
_  
_At All...  
_  
It was perfection in the most imperfect way. Locks of his white hair mixed with his coca dusted eyes as he watched her all night. She couldn't imagine how she looked to him. Sleep was a sweet surrender but also hazy. She couldn't wrap her mind around the night's events. Just his eyes. And her own want. Re help her... She'd forgotten that she'd still be Isis Ishtar in the morning.  
  
_Without you-- I'm nothin'--  
  
At All _


	2. The Morning After

Thanks to the readers:  
  
Amarin Rose: I'm glad you like it. I enjoy the pairing and I hope I did do well with them. It's just too fun XD  
  
CherryRedHead: XD Yayayay! Thanks so much. I hope you like this chapter too and I'm not trying to condone the drinking of tequila but when Bakura's around what can you do?  
  
RobotCat: Isn't Placebo just lovely? I have another IsisXBakura pairing story (You Are The Everything) but it's a one-shot. Enjoy the new chapter  
  
Hope: There is! Yay! Thanks for your review  
  
And now onto chapter two

* * *

Isis woke to the warm sensation of sunlight on her skin. The feeling, rather than the sight. She stirred, placing a tanned palm over her eyes. It was a blur. For the first few moments, she thought she was in her own room, her own bed, her own sun shinning through her curtains. She yawned, cat-like, and snuggled deep into the covers.  
  
But as her mind softly cleared, a dull ache started in her forehead and spread to her brain. She moaned softly. It felt like... God, did she have a hangover? She'd only been drunk enough once before so she knew what one felt like. Oh, but she wasn't going to think about that... Something about too many margaritas and dancing on the bar to some Shania Twain song before Malik pulled her out of there and took her home. Of course, she didn't remember any of it but the splitting headache in the morning and Malik's recap proved embarressing enough.  
  
She pulled a pillow over her eyes and, with another moan, remembered that she'd gone to that club the night before. Sighing, tried to sheild her sensitive green eyes from the harsh light of day and looked around.  
  
A moment passed before it occured to her that the room she was in was not her own. Not the room, not the bed, not even the sun or the curtains. Where the hell was she?! Turning away from the window, Isis tried to focus her eyes. Holy Re, was SHE ever surprised by what she saw in that bed beside her!  
  
Lids over coca-dusted eyes, soft white hair brushing strong shoulders, full pink lips parted slightly in sleep, the knowledge that there was nothing between his body and the sheet that draped his frame. And like an epiphany, it dawned on her.  
  
This was HIS apartment, HIS room, HIS bed, HIS sun, HIS RADAMN CURTAINS!! Quickly, she shuffled as far away from the tomb robber as possible on the small bed. It squeaked. Bakura stirred.  
  
_Ok... Ok... OKOKOKOKOKOK... Now, you went to the club and you must have gotten drunk... VERY drunk... And Bakura must have been there and he must have... And YOU must have... And, together, you two must have...  
_  
She escaped from the bed and began searching madly for clothes in a haze of panic. _Your shirt, your pants, **HIS** shoe! Oh, Re, help me! _As she attempted to pull her sweater down over her head, the graceful goddess slipped on a book lying carelessly on the floor and sailed through the air before crashing into a wall. Moaning, Isis parted the hair in her face as if it were a curtain and was immediately paralyzed as her eyes met the dark chocolate ones of the man in the bed.  
  
"Oh. You're up." He looked unfazed by her gravity-defying leap, but rather stating the obvious. Then, pensively, he smiled.  
  
"And I was going to make breakfast..."  
  
Isis scrambled to her feet, at the same time attempting to reclaim her dignity and stared at him as if petrified.  
  
"You alright, luv?"  
  
She shivered at the nickname. "I have... to go."  
  
"Oh." It seemed as if nothing she could say or do would shock the snow-haired Yami. He smiled and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "At least let me make you some coffee."  
  
Or maybe he was so nonchalant because nothing she did really COULD shock him! Maybe she'd shocked him enough last night! But how could she know? She couldn't remember! Oh, what had happened?!  
  
"Luv...?" Bakura's voice was searching. "You are making the most frightening face right now..."  
  
Of course she was, damnit, she was horrified! It was like she'd woken up in a radamn episode of Days of Our Lives! It was one thing to lust after someone, to imagine bodice-ripping daydreams inspired by too many bad romance novels... BUT IT WAS ANOTHER TO GET REALLY DRUNK AND GO TO HIS APARTMENT AND-- Oooh, the evidence was all there, but what had they done?!  
  
After what seemed like an hour of internal screaming and shell-shocked horror, Isis finally managed the word, "Coffee."  
  
Bakura smiled and stepped out of the bed, tossing the sheet aside. Isis gasped and turned her back, again sent into a state of catatonia. She had almost seen him naked! Had she already seen him naked? God, she was losing it! She felt like banging her head on the wall until she'd knocked herself into a blissful state of unconciousness. For Isis, if things in her life weren't completely in control, she felt her goddess image crack and she just couldn't handle the pressure.

* * *

Naturally, she'd tried to be nice by staying for coffee, civil at least, and maybe a little curious to see if he'd bring up the night's activities, whatever they'd been... Not that she needed a map to figure it out but Isis was living in complete denial.  
  
She sat at the table, wearing her clothes from the night before. It felt weird, scandalous. Granted, it was weird enough to be sitting in Bakura's kitchen as he prepared her coffee, but for some reason, it seemed even more surreal. Probably because she was wearing that tight sweater and low-rider jeans, her "hottie" outfit, Malik called it just to piss her off. Oh and had she mentioned that Bakura was not only shuffling around the coffee pot causciously but that he was hearing a white hotel bathrobe, the sash tied too loosely for her sanity's sake. Isis couldn't help but wonder about where and when he swiped that robe from the Holiday Inn.  
  
"Here." He handed her the coffee (in a mug reading Scratch and Dent World, complete with directional map). She said nothing for a minute as she properly sipped the coffee. Then blinked and stared up at him.  
  
"Cream and sugar?"  
  
"Yeah," he pointed at her cup and then took a drink of his own. "It's in there."  
  
"I know." She smiled. It surprised her that he knew what she wanted in her coffee... Unless she'd told him last night!-- Her face turned sour and sick again.  
  
Bakura then sighed and put down his coffee. "Are you alright?"  
  
Isis blinked and stared at him as if in shock.  
  
"Ok, so apparently the question's moot." Bakura shrugged. "You just seem... off. What is it?"  
  
The goddess thought for a moment or two, then squared her shoulders. It was now or never. She had to know what kind of scandalous things they'd done so that she could stop worrying and assess the situation with a level head.  
  
"Well... you see..." She cleared her throat, tapped her coffee cup. "I am not... entirely certain about what happened between us last night..."  
  
"Ah..." Bakura nodded, in an instant understanding her insane fits of fear and confusion. He took a thoughtful sip of his coffee and opened his mouth to say something, Isis hanging desperately on his words.  
  
"Too bad."  
  
Again in shock, Isis stared. The snow haired bishounen stood and shuffled over to the sink where he began doing dishes. "Shame... Oh well. You sure you don't want any breakfast?"  
  
Isis was going insane. The LEAST he could do was TELL her what they'd DONE!! Who CARES if the evidence had all been there?! She refused to believe she had... No. Not unless he said it.  
  
But she still wanted to know. Her denial was too great but her curiousity burned. Sighing, she tilted her head down to stare at her hands.  
  
That's when she saw it. Ten-thirty. Her wristwatch practically screamed the truth. **TEN-THIRTY!!!!!** She was over an hour late for work! Ra-_DAMNIT!_  
  
She jumped up from the table and made a mad dash for the door. The goddess grabbed the handle and of the cracked, pale-green front door of the tiny apartment and clawed viciously at it. IT WOULDN'T OPEN! SHE WAS LOCKED INSIDE! SHE WOULD BE TRAPPED HERE FOREVER WITHOUT A HOPE OF BEING FOUND BECAUSE NO ONE EVER CAME TO VISIT **_BAKURA_**!!!  
  
Vainly, she scratched at and clawed and pulled at the door but it refused to budge. Oh the entire world was spinning and SHE was TRAPPED in an appartment with **YAMI BAKU**--  
  
The dull click of the lock on the door being turned brought her back to reality. She looked up in sheer panic to see Bakura, his eyebrow raised and a small worried smirk playing across his features as he slowly turned the lock, allowing her to escape. Isis opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.  
  
"You might want to go, Luv..." Bakura said slowly, not daring to laugh at her but unable to hide his grin. "You're already late for work."  
  
Isis narrowed her eyes. He was teasing her! Of all the nerve! Well, of course, in all aspects she was acting quite insane... But he had no right to poke fun at her. Isis squared her shoulders again, conviction once more filling her as she prepared herself for what she knew she had to say.  
  
"Listen... All of this was just a big... mistake. That's all... I was drunk... very drunk... and this was only a... mistake. A one-night thing."  
  
"Fine." Bakura nodded good-naturedly.  
  
"But first... I need to know..." She took a deep breath. "...Did we?"  
  
He blinked as if still waiting for her to finish her sentence. She blinked because she thought she already had.  
  
"'Did we' _what_?" He asked, seeming truly puzzledm, drawing closer to her as if trying to understand.  
  
"Did we..." Isis knew what he was doing. He was trying to make her say it. But she wouldn't say it. She couldn't. It was all too much for her. "Did we... you know..."  
  
"No I _don't_ know, Luv, that's why I'm asking..." Bakura was even closer now, still wearing that mask of such confusion. "What is it?"  
  
Isis couldn't say it! She was a lady, damnit! She didn't talk about things like this, not out loud! She could only hope she'd been a lady last night. A very drunk lady who'd done the right thing by not driving home and just asking her dear, tomb-robbing friend to give her a lift. But, of course, this couldn't possibly be the case... So, Isis' curiousity won over her decency and she leaned as close to him as possible, whispering as quietly and lady-like as she could.  
  
"Did we... have... _sex_...?"  
  
"Oh, **SEX**!" Bakura chuckled loudly and Isis instinctively shushed him. He snickered at her paranoia. A pause passed before the tomb robber leaned forward to where there was no room between him and the goddess he had trapped between his body and the corner. His lips brushed her ear sensually as he whispered,  
  
"Yes, Luv, we did..."  
  
Mentally, Isis wrote her will. She knew she was either going to die or go insane but either way, she'd end up doling out her nice things and preparing to spend eternity in a solitary box.  
  
"You should go..." Bakura murmered, though his hands were still firmly placed on her hips. Finally, he released her and she stumbled, bewildered, into the daylight.  
  
"Oh, and pet--!" She heard the chocolate-laced voice calling to her as she placed her hand on the car door. Shakily, she prepared herself to look back.  
  
"Don't worry... I won't tell him, I promise." With a smirk, Bakura disappeared back behind the green door.  
  
Him? HIM?! **HIM!** Oh, Re, please take her now! Isis clawed her way into the front seat of her modest auto and drove away in a haze of insanity. Of all people, how could she have forgotten about HIM?! What would her brother think, her friends?! But, NEVER--  
  
Her cell phone rang and she screamed. Stumbling, she reached into her purse and turned the small phone over in her trembling hands. Great. When exactly did she become the most unlucky woman on the face of the Earth? She took a deep breath, trying to curb her fears and answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey." Of course it was him! Why wouldn't it be him. "Where were you all night? I tried to call..."  
  
"Ah... I left my purse in the car and unplugged the phone. Hard night." LIAR! Isis's mind screamed. Well, what the hell else was she supposed to say. 'Well, honey, I went back to Bakura's place and apparently slept with him and then couldn't remember cause I'd been so trashed the night before!' That'd be a nice 'Good morning' to give your boyfriend...  
  
"Oh. Well, what are you doing now? Do you want to have lunch with me?"  
  
"Sure." Isis felt so guilty she could have died. But it was best to try and forget. Go to lunch. Put it out of your mind. And NEVER do this again. Isis nodded to her inner monologue and smiled into the phone.  
  
"I'll meet you at the cafe on Smiths?"  
  
"Ten minutes. See you there." She heard him smirking and had to grin herself.  
  
"Goodbye, Isis."  
  
"Goodbye, Seto."

* * *

K, freaked or not by this, give me a little explaination time and let the story run its course? Or flame me I guess ::shrugs:: Anyway, let me know what you think. Thanks mucho for reading. 


	3. Forget About Us

**Author's Note:**  
_(Author?! Hey that's me)_  
It should be stated that "The Bronze" or the club/bar where Bakura and Isis met in chapter one is from the late, cult television hit "Buffy: the Vampire Slayer". I do not own "Buffy" nor do I own the Bronze. But I love them... ::sigh:: ::miss Buffy:  
Also, I do not own "Take Me to the Pilot" by Elton John (aka Seto's driving music ;D) 

And now, response to the readers :  
**Ryou Chick**: Aw... Thank you. I feel the same way about Isis/Bakura fics... There just don't seem to be enough Y.Y  
**Robot Cat**: More yayness for Placebo! Thanks for reading "You are the Everything" and I hope you like this chappie too  
**Amarin Rose**: Bakura _IS_ kind of a dick... Oh, and all will be explained in due time. Maybe not this chapter, but we'll see )  
**CherryRedHead**: Ah-ha... I love you. ("Do it your way baby!" XD) lol. Glad I made your day too with Kaiba being on the phone... I hope you like this chapter too. And your stories? Please do post something else, though I do have so much fun writing to you on "Don't Let Me Down Easy" :) And I'm also working on "A Rose; A Thorn" but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere at the present time, sorry... ::sweat:  
PS lol... Weeeeeeeell, I guess I wouldn't condone the drinking of tequila... publicly ;D  
**dark bebi pan ssj4**: Aw... Isis/Seto Isis/Bakura confusion huh? Been there, my friend. Still there, actually XD And a little Isis/Yami too, but that's a whole 'nother story... Glad you like the fic and I'm FINALLY updating after FOREVER and a day, so let's see... by the way, love your name:D  
**zucool**: lol. zucool, I'm updating just for you ;D You got me off my lazy ass... I haven't written in like... months.

And now, without further annoyance, onto chapter 3!

* * *

Forget About Us

_If you feel  
That's it's real  
I'm on trial  
And I'm here in your prison  
Like a coin  
In your mint  
I am dented  
And I'm spent with high treason_

Seto Kaiba let the wheel of his Mercedes slip through his fingers as he turned the corner and started down Richard Street. He slowed at the cross-walk as two pedestrian girls ran by. The one closer to him grabbed her friend and shook back her toffee hair, whispering something like,

"Holy God, look at that car!"

He wasn't sure exactly what she'd said but he was used to people stopping in the middle of the street to admire the pretty things he owned. Getting impatient, the ice-eyed CEO leaned on his horn until the two girls realized that they were still standing in the middle of the road and crossed the street. He rolled his eyes and flew through the intersection.

_Through a glass eye  
Your throne  
Is the one danger zone  
Take me to the pilot for control  
Take me to the pilot of your soul_

Seto grinned and turned another sharp corner, opting to increase his speed. Normally, he wouldn't be zooming down the streets of Domino City in his insanely expensive car listening to Elton John (for the record, he didn't even own an Elton John CD and the radio was providing his current soundtrack) but Seto Kaiba was feeling his own power, and for some reason, all of the above seemed like the way to go.

He was accustom to being driven around in his limo but Seto enjoyed chauffeuring himself more. He felt much more in control this way. How Seto loved power! It got him everything, it made him who he was today, didn't it? And when he had mused fondly on how people stop to stare at the possessions he'd obtained, he wasn't exaggerating. It was a well-known fact that he was the man who had everything. A cushy, high-profile career. A seemingly endless supply of cold hard cash. An impressive wardrobe that made him somewhat of a bizarre-trend-setter. And a really hot girlfriend.

Turning down Smiths and again feeling the wheel slide through his long fingers, he smiled when he thought about meeting Isis at the restaurant. They hadn't seen each other in a few days, what with the release of Seto's new gaming system and all of the work, preparation and paparazzi that entailed. Isis also had a new shipment of ancient things from some Pharaoh's tomb or whatever (he hadn't exactly been listening when she was talking about it...) so she'd been overworked too. That's why he had resolved to give her a call the night before but when she hadn't answered her cell, he was a little surprised. Usually, when he called, she picked up before the second ring.

But he was getting close to the restaurant and knew that she would make fun of him if he opened the door and Elton John was blasting from his speakers. Cautiously, he parallel-parked his freakishly expensive car outside the small cafe and clicked off Elton in mid-serenade. Seto listened to the engine die and climbed out before looking up to meet the jade-green eyes of his girlfriend, Isis Ishtar.

He grinned. "Hey, beautiful..."

She swallowed and looked at the ground, a painted smile crossing her features. "Hey..."

He may have registered that the expression was forced but if so, he didn't think anything of it. Snaking an arm around her slender waist, he planted a kiss on her forehead and nodded toward the cafe.

"C'mon, let's get something to eat... I'm starving and I've got to get back to the office in an hour."

**-;-;-;-;-;-**

_Chop! Chop! Chop!_

"...Ryou?... Ryou, have you ever had a secret you feared you just couldn't keep?"

_Chop! Ch--_

The snow-haired boy at the sink stopped chopping onions at these words, his face turning a sickly pale. Ryou Bakura's shoulders tightened as he could feel his yami's stare burning into him from corner cabinet in the small kitchen. Another moment passed and Ryou began chopping again, his eyes fixed on the onion and replied quickly,

"No. Never. That has NEVER happened to me before. And if it ever does... I will be perfectly content to keep my mouth shut and never speak of it to anyone. Ever." _Chop Chop Chop._

"...Ryou, I--"

"No!" Ryou spun around to face the boy sitting on the counter and brandished the knife he held in the other's direction. "No! I do not wish to hear a single, solitary detail of your sordid affairs! Is that understood?"

Bakura cut his eyes at the boy who's face he wore and simply said,

"Bronze."

"No!" Ryou repeated and gave the knife an extra swish for effect. "Not a word more! I mean it!"

Bakura sighed up at the cracked ceiling, pursed his lips and murmured,

"Tequila shots..."

"That's two more words than I wanted to hear, _Yami_!" The coca-eyed bishi at the sink was gripping the knife so hard, his knuckles were turning white. "If I have to hear another thing--"

Hitting his heels lightly against the counter door, Bakura swept up behind Ryou and bent down to whisper in his hikari's ear,

"Placebo..."

"**ARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH**!" Ryou turned with a fury and attempted to stab his yami but Bakura was too quick for the other. He had leapt up onto the kitchen table, sniggering.

"Why, WHY, Yami?! I don't need to KNOW any of this!!"

"What is it that you know, dear _Hikari_? All I said was--"

"I can put the PIECES together and you know it!" snarled the younger boy. "You went to the Bronze, saw a pretty girl there, had too much to drink and ended up dancing close, TOO close, to some Placebo tune, which then caused an inevitable sleep-over in YOUR apartment! And you called ME to come over so you could share the shady details! And HONESTLY--!" He dropped the knife in the sink, huffing.

"Is there anything you don't know, then?"

"No!... Well, yes... I am not aware as to who the girl is. My knowledge of you and the mindlink we share provides enough, except for her identity."

Suddenly serious, Bakura picked up a forgotten cup filled with cold coffee and smiled at the smear of lipstick that remained on the edge. "I cannot tell you who she is, Ryou."

"Why?! Do I know her?" He said this almost sarcastically and turned away before his shoulders tensed again in the silence.

"_Yami_..."

"_Hikari_..."

"Do I know the girl?"

"Well, yes and no..."

Ryou turned to look at Bakura whose head was bent a little over a coffee cup, which he seemed to be scrutinizing. He sighed quietly and threw the dishrag he had been wearing over his shoulder onto the counter before saying,

"Do I know her?"

Bakura laughed, the sound a bit hollow. "Not really. Not like I do."

"Just because you know someone when they're drunk doesn't mean you really 'know' them."

"Well, Ryou, in the old sense of the word, I 'know' her... Intimately."

Ryou moaned a little and shook his head. "Well... If you just had a wild night with a girl whose identity will be kept secret from me and eventually drive me mad... why do you have such a sad look on your face right this moment?"

Bakura's face turned up in another hollow smile and his coca-dusted eyes reached up to meet Ryou's coffee ones.

"Because... she's got herself a boyfriend. And it's not me."

A silence filled the room and Ryou's only answer after a moment of being stunned was, "...**So?!**"

Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I mean... that's horrible of you to sleep around with friends of mine who've already got themselves someone to fancy but... when has a boyfriend ever stopped you before? It obviously didn't stop you last night... heathen..."

The yami chuckled and shook his head. "It just bothers me is all. Sod off."

"You were the one who brought the whole business up, _Yami_, so don't even begin to say 'sod off' to me! I'm merely in shock. Honestly... since when were you so concerned with being someone's boyfriend?"

"...Since there was her."

Another silence and again Ryou spoke.

"...Do you want to be her boyfriend, _Yami_?"

"_Yami_?"

The quieter Bakura seemed the more curious Ryou became. Finally, the younger hikari cried out,

"Who IS she?"

Bakura looked up, a small smile crossing his face. "I promised not to tell."

"Bloody hell..." Ryou shook his head and Bakura snickered. Ryou hardly ever cursed unless his mind had come to a road block and there was nothing else to say.

"Well... what are you going to do?" Ryou again, less tentative than most of his questions before but still curious.

A long pause filled the room before Bakura murmured,

"I suppose I can only forget what happened. Anyway, I believe that's what she's done."

Ryou chuckled and tilted his head, catching the eye of his yami.

"From the look of it, mate... I'd say you couldn't forget if you tried."

-;-;-TBC-;-;-


	4. Your Precious Little Life

A/N: Do I technically still count as an author even though I abandoned this story to die? Well, it's important to me that I try to go back to it (for whatever reason that was cause I wrote this author's note like forever ago. I m such a mess). Anyway here we are. "Isn't this position familiar, darling?" and so on...

Well, I don't know if you've been wondering at all what's going to happen in the BakuraXIsisXSeto triangle of doom so let s see if we can figure it out together. Mmm-hmm.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Isis could hear the screaming even before she made it to the parking lot. After sliding into a tight space in front of the shop, she heard the sound of glass shattering. With a sigh, she threw the car into park and got out. This wasn't exactly her idea of a good time (and today she didn't feel like doing much aside from curling up in her bathtub and sobbing) but they were her friends. She tried to shake off the awkwardness of lunch with Seto after her... activities last night and, when she failed, she merely glowered and pushed open the door to the GameShop.

"Isis!" Several voices chirped as soon as she entered the room. She forced a smile, but even she knew it was kind of pathetic.

"Are ya doin' okay, hon?" Mai was looking sideways at her from the counter on which she was perched. Isis shook her head and tried an easier smile.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired is all. How are the negotiations coming?"

Mai rolled her eyes and blew a raspberry. "Anzu's been on the phone all damn day. And when she's not bitching at photographers and bakers she's bitching at all the rest of us." At this, Jounochi appeared from behind the counter and wagged a finger at Mai.

"Don't talk like dat, Mai," he said. "She'll heah you and most likely kill you."

Isis smiled. Maybe this was what she needed to forget about her... erm, transgression. It was tiny, really, itty-bitty. She'd only done it once and she was completely shit-faced drunk. But as she watched Mai pull Jounochi over by his collar and peck him lightly but affectionately on the lips, Isis' shame spiral consumed her once more.

The sound of soft footfalls caused her to raise her eyes from the ground to the stairs as Yugi Motou bounced into view. She smiled at him and again at the Pharaoh who followed him step-for-step. Yugi noticed her right away and threw out his arms.

"Hi, Isis! I'm so glad you came by to help."

"Of course." She bowed slightly out of habit and looked around the GameShop. "What can I do?"

"Well..." Yugi made a quick scope of the room and then turned back to throw her another sunny smile. "I guess you can help Mai with the baby boxes."

"Baby Boxes?" Isis asked.

"Oh yeah," Yugi said with a laugh. "I forgot that you don't know what I mean. Yami and I have been bringing some big boxes downstairs with different things in them and Mai has been filling the little boxes for the centerpieces. So that's why we started calling them 'Daddy boxes' and 'Baby boxes'... to, ah, avoid confusion." Yugi blushed.

"And, you know, because it's fun," Jounochi said.

Isis nodded. "I'd be happy to help with that." She moved across the room and jumped up onto the counter as gracefully as possible. Mai laughed and began to instruct her in box-filling as Jounochi called Honda in from the basement and Yugi and the Pharaoh began to set up a game of WAR on the tile.

"'And you have to put EXACTLY three Hershey kisses into the boxes, no more no less!'" Mai put on a screechy voice as she impersonated Anzu and rolled her eyes. "I swear, I'm about this close to committing suicide here. She's absolutely brutal!"

Isis shrugged. "She's got a lot on her mind I guess."

"Yeah but that doesn't mean she should get to be such a bri--"

"SOMEONE TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON DOWN HERE!"

Everyone flinched. Isis looked around and saw that Jounochi and Honda had joined the card game on the floor, but all of the players looked absolutely petrified. When Isis looked back at Anzu, she got a little terrified herself.

"I gave every one of you a specific job to do and you're all just SITTING AROUND PLAYING CARDS?!"

Yugi stood up alone to face her wrath. "Anzu, I'm sorry. We had moved and labeled most of the boxes and Jounochi finished putting the third coat of paint on the guest chairs and... well, we were all just taking a break."

Anzu's eyes narrowed viciously and she took a step toward Yugi. "We don't have TIME for breaks, Yugi! Do you have ANY idea how many DAYS we have left?!"

"Of course I do," Yugi said. "It's just that... it's supposed to be about fun. It is a wedding after all."

Anzu's face tightened and she looked at him rigidly. "It's not about fun. It's about ME, the bride. And I say get back to work!" She then snapped her hands-free headset back on and marched up the stairs to make yet another call to Domino Bakery.

Everyone winced as they turned to look at Yugi. "She's right of course," he said. "It is first and foremost about her and we need to be more helpful with the preparations." He sighed and shrugged, a tiny smile forcing its way onto his face. "I'm gonna go back upstairs and get some more silverware rolled. Yami, want to come?"

Isis watched the Pharaoh and his smaller counterpart trudge up the stairs together. The room sighed once they had left.

"Man," Jounochi whispered, sweeping up the cards with his hands and placing them back on a table. "I can't believe how freakin' crazy she's been lately."

"Yeah..." Honda said. "I don't know how Yugi's dealing with this."

"He loves her, duh," Mai said. "I'm not saying I don't agree with all of you, though. She's acting extra-strength crazy. I don't know why he hasn't even put his foot down a little bit."

"It's because he's Yuge..." Jounochi rolled his eyes and picked at a large paint splotch on his t-shirt. "He's not gonna put anything down anywheah. He's just gonna go wit da flow."

Mai snapped a baby box shut and said, "I guess we just need to hope that after all of this is over she goes back to only being mildly annoying." She turned her attention back to Isis who was twisting the ribbon of her baby box into a bow. "Hey, Isis, wasn't Kaiba supposed to be here today? I was looking forward to watching Richie Rich get down and dirty with some painting and such."

Isis was startled by her own name and doubly so by Seto's. She cleared her throat and said, "Oh, he's just got a lot to do at work right now. His company is releasing a new gaming system this weekend. He-- he told me to tell you guys sorry he couldn't make it."

"Oh, yeah, I gotta get me one 'a those!" Jounochi said. "I wonda if he'll give me a free-bee."

"Yeah, right!" Tristan said, laughing, but Isis wasn't paying attention anymore. She was thinking about their lunch and how he had waited for the check to come before he mentioned that he wouldn't be able to make it to the GameShop tonight. Although he knew Yugi and Anzu were their friends (he then amended it by saying "Well, sort of..."), he would not be able to get out of work and he knew she understood and would apologize for him. He had mentioned that he hoped she wasn't angry. Now, Isis' face fell as she remembered feeling totally and utterly relieved to be away from her boyfriend for the night.

"Hey, mates. How's it going?"

Isis' heart lurched forward and smacked against her ribcage at the voice but then calmed down when she realized it wasn't deep, sinister, or sexy enough to be who she'd feared. Gratefully, she turned to face Ryou with the others.

"Hey, Ryou," Tristan said.

"What's wrong with Jounochi, then?" Ryou asked as he took off his windbreaker and looked around uneasily for a coat rack.

"We were just telling him there's no way he's gonna get his hands on one of those new KaibaCorp game systems," Honda answered. He shoved Jounochi and laughed. "He's gonna need to get a year's advance on his salary at Sonny's Pizza."

"Yeah, haha, you guys are hilarious," Jounochi sneered. "Maybe someone wants to buy it for my birthday..." He turned to Mai suggestively and she laughed at him too.

"No way, hon," she said. "That thing's ridiculously overpriced!" While everyone laughed, no one noticed that Isis blushed and ducked her head.

"So where's Bakura?" Honda asked.

"Right here." He stepped through the door and flashed a grin at the others. "I was just parking the car."

Isis. Heart. Ribcage. She stared down at the floor.

"Well, I guess you can give me a hand with some of dis..." Jounochi waved his hand toward the backyard. "I still haveta get da tables outta my truck and move em ova to the futua refreshment stand."

Ryou rolled up his long sleeves good naturedly. "Of course, Jounochi." He turned for a second toward Bakura.

"So... Are you coming, then?"

Bakura shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced over at Isis and Mai, the latter smiling devilishly at him, the former desperately attempting to disappear up her own existence. "Actually," he said. "I think I'll stay in here and help the girls."

Jounochi looked from his girlfriend to the tomb robber, and rolled up his own sleeves less good-naturedly. "Hey, listen up, joik! If you mess with Mai, you're gonna be in for a world'a pain. Nyyyah!"

Bakura rolled his eyes as Honda and Ryou dragged Joey out of the room. He turned to Mai. "Why are you dating him again?"

Mai thought about it. "Well, he's got a smoking body and a Snoopy Snow Cone machine at home. What else does a girl need?"

"Ah, I see." Bakura crossed the room and picked up a baby box, tossing it back and forth between his long index fingers. "So... what exactly are we up to here?"

"We're stuffing these" Mai held up another box "with these" and held up a few Hershey's kisses. "Now, come on. The faster we work, the faster we can get the hell out--"

"MAIIIIIIIIII!"

Mai groaned. "WHAT ANZU?!"

"COME UPSTAIRS AND GET THIS BOX OF HERSHEY KISSES I FOUND!"

"OKAY, your majesty, queen bitch of bitchtown..." Mai hopped off the counter and clomped up the stairs. Isis tried to keep her eyes on Mai's fashionable purple boots as she pleaded that she wouldn't be left alone with him.

"Looks like it's you and me again, luv."

"didn'titellyoutostopcallingmethat?!" Isis hissed.

"Right. You did. Sorry." Bakura placed a few kisses inside the box, thought it needed something, and added a few more. Isis' blood boiled.

"You have to go."

Bakura looked up from the box. "But I like it here."

"You have to leave right now! If anyone sees us talking they're going to know!"

Bakura blinked. "About what?"

A blood vessel had surely popped in Isis' brain, so terrible was her frustration. "About. Last. Night."

Bakura smiled. "Well... if you don't want people to know about it, maybe you shouldn't talk about it so much, luv."

Isis wondered what the punishment was for killing someone who was ruining your life. Could you argue it was self-defense? "Just leave me alone, okay? I've got a boyfriend, friends, a job, and a lot of things that are important to me which I would most definitely lose if ANYONE found out about the horror that was last night."

Bakura ignored the sting. _She didn't remember it anyway..._ He just put down the box, and looked her square in the eyes. "Isis... you're the one who keeps bringing up what happened. I, for one, also have friends here and plan to stay and help with the festivities. Maybe you should try to understand that."

"Maybe YOU should try to understand that these people are MY friends and NOT your friends because the only reason they hang out with you is because of Ryou!"

"Maybe YOU should try to understand how not to be such a giant bitch all the time."

Isis' gasp caused a cackle to escape him. "Listen, luv, I'm sorry. It's just--"

"No!" She leapt down off the counter and stared up at him. This was the closest they had been to each other since that fateful last night.

"I can't even BEGIN to imagine what I was thinking when I went back to your apartment with you. But whatever horrible thing you slipped in my drink to make me do that is gone and out of my system now, and I am clean and sober and I NEVER want to hear you speak to me ever again."

Bakura took a step toward her and she stiffened, realizing how tall he was.

"I didn't put anything in your drink, luv. Tequila has a way of unlocking hidden desires."

"Shut up," she said, still glaring. "I never want to speak of this again, do you understand me?" Her voice wavered a bit at the end. He was so close.

He took in a deep breath, looked about the GameShop, and nodded. "Fine. Never again." Then he turned to her. "But I'll just say this. You can't deny what happened between us, whether you remember it or not. The evidence was all there and, BELIEVE me, I would never be able to lie about something like that. You were..." He paused.

She waited, her face poised for disgust.

Finally, he said, "Well, you weren't needing any kind of convincing, I'll say that. And it just makes me think that, maybe, the precious little life you've got going on here isn't as great as you want to say it is in the daylight."

The clomping of boots made Bakura take a few steps back. He smiled up at Mai who came down the stairs with a crate of kisses.

"Can you believe this bejesus?" she moaned.

"I'm going out back," Bakura said. "Figured you ladies could finish up here. I'm sure my manly strength could be put to better use outside."

"Oh fine, leave us," Mai teased. Bakura smiled at her and slipped out the back.

"God, he's really something else, isn't he?" Mai shook her head as she took her place back on the counter and Isis stared after Bakura.

Mai's eyes lit up. "Don't you ever just wonder--"

"No," Isis said.


End file.
